Ventilated disc balance weight



Feb. 13, 1968 J. R.WEGH ET AL 3,368,654

, VENTILATED DISC BALANCE WEIGHT Filed Aug. 15, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS JOHN R. WEGH RICHARD r. aumerz BY i A TTOR/VE Y.

Feb. 13,1968 J. R. WEGH ETAL VENTILATED DISC BALANCE WEIGHT 3 Sheets-Sh 5 Filed Aug 1 1966.

I I INVENTORS' dam/R. was RICHARD It EURNETT.

faaw wall of Claims. (Cl. 128-67) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A balance weight insertable into the outer end of a radially, inwardly extending and converging passage of a rotatable disc to establish said disc in static or dynamic balance. The balance weight is formed from a generally fiat stamping member, having a slot intermediate its yieldable side portions to allow said sides to conform to the said passage to secure said weight in place when said weight is forced into said passage a distance such that the inner end of said weight grips the inner and outer terminal portionsof said passage. i

In discs of this type there will be certain portions of the rotating mass which may be out of balance, and when such an unbalanced disc is rotated the lack of balance will set up forccs causing undesirable vibrations in the disc. Accordingly, it is primary of this invention to provide means for balancing such discs in order to bring the hub and disc assembly into static or dynamic balance so that the forces tending to cause twisting or wobbling will be conteracted or-counterbalanced.

Another object is to provide means of this character that can be simply and inexpensively manufactured with all of the parts made up as stampings, and readily assembled with the disc by simple operation requiring little or no special skills.

A further object is to provide a balance weight not requiring bolts or other parts for securing said Weight to the disc, but utilizing its own unique construction and design for releasably securing said Weight to a disc.

Still another object is to provide a balance weight of this character which employs a simple manufacturing expedient in producing weights varied in size, the variations being accomplished by increasing or decreasing the gauge of metal used in the stamping as well as the dimensions of the stamping.

A still further purpose is to simple it construction, cheap reliable in operation.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art from the following specification and claims.

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of one form of ventilated di c with a section of said disc broken away to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a radial sectional view of the ventilated disc taken along the lines 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of the ventilated disc showing another form of balance weight of the present invention;

FIGURE through the ment of the such a disc;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional vi of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the ventilated disc showing another embodiment of the balance weight of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the ventilated disc illustrating a yet further embodiment of the balance weight of the invention;

provide a balance weight to manufacture, but yet 4 is a fragmentary radial sectional view ventilated disc illustrating a further embodibalance weight of my invention as applied to ew taken on the lines 55 3,368,654 Patented Feb. 13, 1968 FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary side elcvational view of embodiment of of a disc structure to which this invention appertains.

The rotatable disc 10 is shown here to be of the ventilated type disc, although it shall be understood that the invention is not limited to discs of such a construction. The disc 10 as herein shown has an annular wall structure 12 radially disposed with respect to an axially extending hub member 14 secured to a wheel hub 16 in a manner well known in the automotive field. The disc wall structure 12 is relieved at its central portion 18 in axial relationship to said wheel hub to facilitate assembly. The wall structure 12 is formed of parallel walls 20 and 22 and transverse walls 24 interconnecting said parallel walls to provide generally radial openings or passages 26 into which the balance weightof the invention is inserted.

The passages 26 are formed in the wall structure between the transverse walls 24 in a generally radial direction, with converging openings 28 at the inner terminal portions of said passages. That is, the circumferential distance between the transverse walls. as measured at 29 is greater than the circumferential distance as measured at 28. The parallel walls 20 and 22 are generally exteriorly at 30 and 32 respectively to form smooth, uniform braking surfaces for disc brake pads, not shown, but well known in the brake art.

The balance weight 34 shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 is a generally fiat rectangularly shaped metal stamping member having side portions 36 and 38 engageable with the transverse walls 24 of the wall structure. The member 34 is provided with oppositelydirected inwardly extending slots 40 and 42 terminating in a web section 44. The slots are located generally in the intermediate or middle portion of the member 34 along its length which permits lateral contraction of the sides 36 and 38 when the member is forced into one of the passages 26. It will be noted that slotting the member 34 as aforesaid allows the side portions 36 and 38 to act as resilient portions adapted to flex when inserted into one of the converging openings 26.

These side portions or resilient leg portions 36 and 38 are provided with oppositely extending lateral projections 46 and 48 respectively for engagement with the transverse walls 24 at the inner terminal portion of the opening. To insure engagement between the transverse walls 24 and the upper end of the leg portions 36 and 38, nibs 50 and 52 respectively are formed in the resilient legs or side portions. These nibs, which are radially spaced along the sides of said member, insure positive engagement with the transverse walls at the outer radial end of the passage, notwithstanding irregularities in the wall surfaces 54 of the transverse walls 24 along the radial surface of the walls 24.

The material used for the weight is preferably of a low carbon steel. although obviously this is not absolutely necessary. As the weight is forced through one of the tapered openings 26 between the transverse walls 24 of the wall structure 12 the weight is stressed beyond the elastic limit. As the weight is forced further into the passage or opening, the oppositely extending lateral projections 46'pass beyond the terminal portion of the passage and spring back a small amount into engagement with the terminal portions of the transverse walls 24, thus securely machined said member when forced into said passage, said member having resilient leg portions on each side of said slot on gaging a pair of walls.

3. In a rotatable disc according to claim 2 wherein said resilient leg portions are equipped with oppositely extending lateral projections engageable with said transverse walls adjacent their inner and outer ends to insure adequate frictional contact therewith notwithstanding irregularities in the surfaces of said walls.

4. In a rotatable disc according to claim 2 wherein said weight is of a width with respect to the width of said passage as to permit said weight to be inserted by hand from the outer end of said passage a distance of approximately three-fourths of the length of said weight to thereby expedite assembly of said weight with said disc.

5. In a rotatable disc according to claim 3 wherein the leg portions of said weight are provided with oppositely extending lateral projections formed in said leg portions 6 at the outer radial end to engage the interior portions of said transverse walls adjacent their outer terminal end and with additional oppositely extending projections formed in said leg portions at the inner radial end to engage the outer ends of said transverse Walls at their terminal point.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,177,861 10/1939 Burger 301-5 2,370,361 2/1945 Le Ieune 3015 2,433,762 12/1947 Kalajian 74-573 X 3,273,419 9/1966 Kellmann et. a1 74573 3,292,746 12/ 1966 Robinette 18 8218 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner. G. E. HALVOSA, Assistant Examiner. 

